The present invention relates to an air guiding system for a vehicle, particularly a passenger car, which is arranged in a rear area of the vehicle and comprises at least one central main air guiding element, which can be displaced from a moved-in inoperative position into a moved-out operative position, lateral auxiliary air guiding elements being displaceable together with the or each central main air guiding element.
DE 30 19 150 A1 shows a vehicle air guiding system arranged in an upper rear area of the vehicle and having an air guiding element that can be displaced from an inoperative position, in which it is integrated in the shaping of the rear area flush with the surface, into a moved-out operative position. The air guiding element is constructed as an aerofoil which, by way of an operating device, can be displaced or changed from the inoperative position into the operative position and vice-versa.
DE 43 05 090 A1 also discloses a vehicle air guiding system arranged in a rear area of the vehicle and having an air guiding element that can be displaced from an inoperative position into a moved-out operative position. The air guiding element is formed by a rear spoiler arranged in a recessed receiving device of the vehicle body and displaceable by an operating device from the inoperative position to the operative position and vice-versa.
The air guiding systems disclosed in the above-mentioned DE 30 19 150 A1 and DE 43 05 090 A1, increase the rear axle output coefficient (cah-value) of the motor vehicle while the drag coefficient (cw-value) remains the same or is improved, with these known air guiding elements each having the same transverse dimension in the inoperative position and in the operative position.
Yet unpublished German Patent Document DE 10 2005 030 203, discloses a vehicle air guiding system having a central main air guiding element as well as two lateral auxiliary air guiding elements. The auxiliary air guiding elements enlarge the transverse dimension of the air guiding system in the operative position and particularly the rear axle output coefficient can be further increased. The adjusting movement of the lateral auxiliary air guiding elements with respect to the central main air guiding element takes place when the main air guiding element has been displaced from the inoperative position into the operative position. The adjustment of the auxiliary air guiding elements with respect to the main air guiding element therefore takes place after, and uncoupled from, the displacement of the main air guiding element.
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel vehicle air guiding system by allowing the auxiliary air guiding elements to be swiveled with respect to the, or each, main air guiding element about at least two pivots fixed to the main air guiding element and about in each case at least two pivots fixed to the auxiliary air guiding elements laterally beside the main air guiding element, in order to change them from an also moved-in inoperative position into an also moved-out operative position.
According to an advantageous further development of the air guiding system according to the present invention, the adjustment of the lateral auxiliary air guiding elements is coupled to the displacement of the or each central main air guiding element during its change or their change from the inoperative position into the operative position and vice versa. Thereby, the lateral auxiliary air guiding elements can be changed isochronously or simultaneously from the inoperative into the operative position or from the operative position into the inoperative position with the displacement of the, or each, central main air guiding element with respect to the or each main air guiding element. In this case, the lateral auxiliary air guiding elements are swiveled with respect to the, or each, central main air guiding element laterally beside the main air guiding element. Within a very short time and in a simple manner, the transverse dimension of the air guiding system according to the invention can thereby be adapted.
Preferably, each auxiliary air guiding element is swivelable by way of an operating device disposed on the main air guiding element. A coupling device is applied to the operating device of each auxiliary air guiding element, and mechanically couples the swivel-type adjustment of the lateral auxiliary air guiding elements with respect to the central main air guiding element to the displacement of the central main air guiding element.
According to an advantageous further development, the auxiliary air guiding elements enlarge the transverse dimension and the longitudinal dimension of the main air guiding element or the air guiding system. The simultaneous enlargement of the transverse dimension and the longitudinal dimension of the main air guiding element or the air guiding system is particularly advantageous aerodynamically.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.